Article of hardware



Jall- 4 H. H. RAYMOND ARTICLE OF HARDWARE Filed Feb. 11, 1939 Patented Jan. 9, 1940 Horace H. Raymond,'-Berlin, Conm, assignor to .The Stanley Works,New Britain, Conm, a corporation of Connecticut Application February 11, 1939, Serial No. 255,805

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to hardware,

and more particularly to a decorative handle" suitable for use as a drawer pull, door pull, or the like.

6 The present invention aims to provide an improved handle having-a colored portion associated therewith adapted to match with the color scheme of the surroundings where it is used. Due to the modern trend of using decorative articles and the utilization of uniform color schemes throughout the household or the like, there has arisen a large demand for hardware of the above-indicated type. However, as the variety of colors run into extremely large numhas, whereas the demand for any particular color is not known, it has been found impossible for a dealer to carry a stock which will meet all demands. The present invention aims to provide an improved handle or the like wherein any 0 particular color may be associated therewith.

This is accomplished by providing a handle having an elongated open faced channel into which a colored insert may be readily inserted and which insert will be secured in place by the mounting of the handle upon the drawer, door, or the like. With this arrangement, a dealer may carrya minimum stock of'handles and a maximum stock of colored inserts and thus provide' to the ultimate purchaser an unlimited 30 selection. For example, the manufacturerof the handle disclosed herein provides the dealer with a box containing one dozen handles and an envelope contai'ning-thirty-six colored inserts in dozen lots of three different colors. Thus the 85' dealer may carry a stock of a dozen handles and yet supply the purchaser with anycolor desired; it being apparent, of course, that colored inserts other than those contained in the box may be readily obtained. Likewise, if after the handle has been in use for some time and it is desirable to change the colored insert, it is only necessary to remove the'handle from the surface on which it is mounted, whereupon the insert may be readily removed, therefrom replaced therein.

The invention further contemplates a handle which is simple and inexpensive in construction, mayhave a chromium or other suitable finish which will contrast with the colored insert carattractive inappearance.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the fea-' tures of construction, combination of elements,

' face thereof.

and another ried thereby to provide a handle which is very and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set, forth and the scope of the application ofwhich will be indicated in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawing: Y 6

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of the handle made in accordance with the present invention;

Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive, are perspective views'of the cover member showing the steps. in manufac- 10 turing same; I

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the base member with the cover member. indicate'din dotted lines just prior to final assembly;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom view of one end 1 of the handle member;

Fig. '7 is a section taken on line 'I1 of Fig. 1; and 1 Fig. 8 is a perspective view offthe 'colored insert. I v

Referring to the drawing, the invention comprises a handle of substantially continuous curvature and generally designated as A and adapted to be mounted on the outer surface of a drawer, door, or the like, generally indicated as B. There is provided in the outer face of the handle achannelC coextensive with the length thereof and in which there is positioned a removable insert D of a material which contrasts in appearance with the handle A.

' In the particular embodiment shown, the handle, for ease in manufacture, 'is' made up of a plurality of partsincluding abase member I!) and a cover member l2 which are adapted tobe assembled into an integral handle structure provided with an elongated open faced channel at its outer surface, as shown in'Fig. 1, and a colored insert or strip l4 adapted to be positioned in the channel and be visible through the open r I 40 More specifically, the base member comprises a rigid, relatively heavy one-piece metal stripbent into the shape of a flattened U 'to-provide a central hand gripping portion [6 and rearwardly projecting leg portions I 8 adapted to space the central portion outwardly from the surface B of the drawer, door, or the like, on which the I handle is mounted. Eachleg portion I8 is provided at the end thereof with an inwardly extending securing lug 20 of substantially square cross section and of lesser width than that of the leg portion. The securing lugs 20 are each provided with a centrally located aperture 23 for receiving the end of a suitable securing screw 25 which is passed through the openings provided 5 v therefor on the surface on which the handle is mounted. The securing lugs 20 are so arranged that the terminus of the leg portions of the handle will be drawn in and lie flush against the surface on which the handle is mounted. In the embodiment illustrated, this is accomplished by arranging the lugs 28 at substantially ninety degrees to the extremity of the leg portions Hi; the arrangementjof the lugs depending, of course, upon the particular type of handle desired.

The inner face of the base member in is further provided with spaced apart downwardly projecting lugs or detents which may be struck out therefrom to form outwardly facing locking shoulders 26 positioned in substantially vertical alignment with the inner ends of the securing lugs 20 and adapted, as hereinafter described, to interengage with a portion of the cover plate to interlock the parts together into an integral structure.

The se pl ts. it en s s a re at ve y i l x bl m ta s rip stamped and cu ve t r vide an elongated section all adapted to overlie the outer surface of the base member Ill and securing means comprising end closures 3! adapted to be reversely bent around the securing lugs 26) o o p rativ e g e the ase m mb le shoulders and firmly secure the ,cover plate to the base plate.

The securing means or end closures 3| each include a bottom plate 32 bent at right angles to t e e m of t el n a e se i n B- a adapted to underlie the securing lugs as; there being provided therein centrally arranged slot 33 isnab e. w t the. s a e t r 23 t erm the securing screw 25 to extend therethrough. Bent upwardly from each bottom plate and at right angles thereto and adjacent the end of the securinglug is an end plate 3,; of such length that the upper edge 35 engages behind the outwardly facing locking shoulder 25 on the inner face of the base member ll]. To completely enclose the 1 he i pr de a r o id la 35 b outwardly and at right angles to the end plate 34 to lie parallel against the sides of the securing lugs 2!). The outer edges of the end plates are curved to conform to the inner surface of the base member and adapted to abut against same when the parts are locked together and thus substantially brace the vertical end plate 34.

The central portion of the cover member'is further provided with a raised rectangular section 39 coextensive in length therewith and centrally positioned intermediate of the side edges thereof and having a top wall All and sidewalls 42. The top wall iii has cut therein a plurality of elongated narrow slots 55 extending for a greater part of the length thereof; the width of the slots being less than the width of the top wall to provide flanges 43 extending inwardly from the side walls 42 thereof (see Fig. 7). With this construction, the raised section 39 thus cooperates with the base member when the parts are assembled to provide the open faced channel C adapted to receive the colored insert, which insert is readily visible therethrough.

Due to the factthat in they embodiment i1lustrated the top plate is made of relatively thin metal, portions of the top wall 4% of the section 39 have been retained in order to strengthen same; it being apparent, of course, that the open face of the channel could be coextensive in length with the base member were heavier material used or. the channel could be formed within the heavier base member. As best seen in Fig. 6, the chane nel terminates in end openings M. of suflicient size to permit the ready insertion of the colored insert D within same.

The colored insert D may be cut from a strip of any suitable material and is of such length that when placed within the channel C it is coextensive in length with the handle. The width of the strip is such that the end thereof may be readily insertedin the end openings M, whereupon the strip may be slidinto position, and, preferably, this width is greater than the slot or open face of" the channel, whereby when it is positioned within-same the side flanges 43 will overlie the edges thereof and prevent removal of the strip through the open face of the channel. It is apparent that the strip may, however, be readily removed'thro ugh the open ends i l and replaced y another strip. However, as previously indicated, when the handle is mounted on a door the securing lugs are so arranged that when the securing screws are inserted therein the handle is drawn to bring the end of the leg portions into engagement with the surface on which the handle is mounted, and thus the end openings l l will be closed and the colored strip retained in place within the channel. 7

For convenience in manufacture, the cover member if is initially stamped and bent into the form shown in 2, wherein the bottom plate 32 and end plate 3 of the end closure are coextensive with the elongated section and the side plates 36 bent at right angles to the end plate. The plate is then bent through ninety degrees at the junction of the bottom plate 32 and elongated section 30 to the form shown in Fig. 3. The elongated section (it is then bent to substantially the curvature of the base member, as indicated in Fig. l, whereupon the base member is inserted in same, and the end closure substantially completed by bending the end plate 36 at substantially a right angle to the bottom plate 32, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. As the cover member is of very thin material, the shaping steps may be performedb-y hand. As indicated in Pig. 5, the bottom, end, and side plates of the end closure closely engage the abutting surfaces of the securing lug and position the plates relative to one another.

With the parts so assembled and positioned, they are placed in. a press, whereupon the cover member will be forced into position around the base member and the upper edges of the end plates 34 forced into locking position behind the locking shoulders 26 to secure the parts into an integral structure.

When so constructed, the colored strip D may be readily inserted in or removed from the channel, whereas when the handle is mounted on a flat surface the end openings M of the channel will be closed and the removal of the colored strip therefrom prevented. If, however, itis desirable to change to another color, the handle may be readily removed from the door or the like, and as the new strip is placed in oneend opening 44, it will force the old strip out of the other.

The parts are preferably chromium plated or otherwise finished to form abackground contrasting with and setting off the colored strip, although any suitable materials which will produce the same result may be used. The strip M may be of viscoloid or other'suitable substance which has a lustrous hard surface, does not readily chip, and is sufilciently flexible to allow it to be inserted within the handle and adjust-itself to the curvature thereof;

many changescould be made in the above construction and many apparently widely diflerent embodiments of'this invention could be made without departing from the'scop'e thereof, it-is intended that all matter contained inthe above description'or shownin the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the languagev j used inthe followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. v

the under surface thereof and position said mem- I claim as my invention:

1. A handle of the character described, comprising a member having an open faced channel in the outer surface thereof and coextensive in length with the' member and provided with openings at the ends thereof, a colored strip positioned within said channel and visible through the open. face thereof and removable through said end openings, and means for mounting said handle on a surface, whereby when said handle is mounted the end openings will be closed to prevent removal of the strip.

2. A handle of the character described, comprising a member adapted to besecured to a drawer, door, or the like, the outer face of said member being provided with inwardly extending flanges which terminate short of one another to define a channel extending-longitudinally of the member and coextensive in length therewith, said channel being provided with open ends at the ends of said .member, a colored strip positioned within said channel and visible therethrough and adapted to be readily removed through said end opening, and means for securing said handle on a drawer, door, or the like, whereby the surface on which it is mounted will cover said end opening.

3. A handle of the character described, comprising a memberhaving a central portion and rearwardly extending leg portions adapted to space the central portion outwardly from the surface on which it is mounted, a securing lug extending from the end of each leg portion, said ing therethrough, anda decorative strip interposed between said members and held in place thereby in alignment with said cover plate openings.

5. A handle of the character described, comprising a base member adapted to be secured to a drawer, door, or the like, a cover member adapted to fit over said base member and having anopening therethrough, cooperating means on said cover member and base member for maintaining said parts positioned relative to one another, and a decorative strip interposed bemember having an opening-therein intermediate Qof the endfpo'rtions'and a decorative strip interposed between' said members and held in place thereby infalignment with said cover plate open- 7. In if handle of the character'described, a

base member adapted to besecured to a drawer,

door, or the like, a cover member adapted to ,overlie the outer surface of said body member and having end portions adapted to be bent around the ends of said base member to engage bers relative to one another, said cover member having an elongated raised channel extending" prising a rigid base member, a securing lug car-v ried at each end thereof and adapted to liepar- Iallel to the surface on whichthe handle is to be mounted, a relatively thin' cover member overhaving a bottom plate adapted to underlie said lugs, said cover member having an opening therethrough intermediate of said bottom plate, an end plate extending vertically from said bottom plate and adapted'to engage the under surface of said cover member for positioning said members relative'to one another, and a decorative strip interposed between said members and held in place thereby in alignment with thelcovermember opening. i v

9. In a handle of the character described, a rigid U-s'haped base member, said member having securing lugs extending inwardly from each end thereof and at substantially right angles thereto, a thin cover member overlying said base member and having end portions for positioning said cover plate relative to the body member and'comprising inturned walls bent at right an-' gles'to the ends of the cover member and underlying the outer face of said base member and I lying said lugs, a positioning plate bent upwardly v at right 'angles'to the ends of said inturned p'ortions, and side plates bent outwardly at right angles to said positioning plate and straddling said lugs, the outer edges of said side plates and upper edge of said positioning plate abutting against the under surface of said body member, and spaced apart projections on the under face of, the base member engagin'g'said plateedges and positioning same against the bodymember.

10. In combination, a curved elongated base section conforming substantially to and adaptedto overlie the outer surface ofsaid base member and having a raised lengthwise extending channel provided with a slot, an inturned portion at each end of said elongated portion bent at right eachinturned portion and having the upper edge thereof in abutting relation with the under side of said base member, and side portions bent substantially at right angles to theside edge of said wall portions and having their outer edges thereof curved to conform substantially to the angles to the end of said elongated portion and 1 underlying saidsecuring lug, a wall portion bent upwardly and substantially at right angles to cover member relative toone-anothen imder side of said base member, said,.-inturned portion, wall portiongand side portions :coopera :ma .drawer, door, or the like, a cover member 'adaptedto' fitv :overthe outer-face of said base member and. having end portions adapted. to be reversely bent around the ends of said base member and to abut the under face thereof, and.

interengaging means on the under ace of I saidbase member and said 'end portions for maintaining said members positioned relative to one another.

HORACE H. RAYMOND. 

